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Epistemic Games Encourage Creative Problem Solving
By Richard Nantel | June 20, 2008
Eighteen years ago, I bought the original SimCity game and subsequently went for two days without food or sleep. I obsessively worked away at creating the perfect city filled with happy citizens. The day my virtual city obtained a stadium remains one of the highlights of my technological life.
Games that encourage learners to think like engineers, doctors, lawyers, urban planners, and other professionals are called epistemic games. These applications are now being used in schools to encourage creative problem solving.
Below is a great example from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The lucky students were even able to present their urban plans to the mayor of Madison.
Topics: Academic, Games, Learning |
